Brandon McElroy didn’t play football during high school, concentrating on basketball instead. When he switched to solely playing football once he started to attend Glendale (Calif.) Community College, he knew that he would have to showcase more than just his 6-5 345-pound frame to be successful. During his official visit to Tempe, the defensive lineman found the guidance he believes maximizes his talent, as well as an overall environment he felt comfortable in both on and off the field.
“It honestly felt like home,” McElroy said. “It really felt like Cali. I loved everything about the visit; coming from a JUCO, I especially liked the facilities there. Just seeing how everything is operating, it’s a way different game.”
McElroy noted that he feels a sense of loyalty from the ASU staff, specifically from someone who could be his position coach at the next level, Arizona State defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez, who has been communicating with him for literally six months now.
“Coach Robert Rodriguez has been recruiting me since December,” McElroy commented. “I’ll always remember that he was recruiting me ever since the season ended. He said that he likes me at the nose, and (defensive coordinator) coach Donnie (Henderson) likes me at the 3-tech, so I’ll probably be playing both. Coach Robert Rodriguez says that what he likes about my game is that I’m an aggressive player, which shows on my film. He’s been saying that since December when he started talking to me. He likes that rawness in me because I only played basketball in high school. He tells me that the key component is technique and that I can learn a lot of techniques from him. That’s why I feel that he would be the best coach for me. If I commit to ASU – it’s because of coach Rod.
“Coach Rod wants me to drop weight, of course, and I’m working on that, getting down to 320 lbs. We already talked about it, and he wants me to be very diligent about it over the next few weeks, so if I go there, I’ll be ready. So once that happens, I can just play, and I won’t have a mental period where it’s like, ‘Man, this is too much for me. He helped me understand where I need to be and where I want to be.”
The junior college defensive lineman said that the academics at ASU, as well as the lifestyle that Tempe has to offer, made a deep impression on him. He also appreciated the fact that current defensive linemen served as his hosts and were able to offer him a true perspective of what to expect as a player on this Sun Devil squad.
“BJ (Green) and Dylan (Hall) showed me around,” McElroy recalled. “They both told me that if I came not to be complacent or expect to get anything that you didn’t earn. You always have to be yourself and do what you have to do to take care of business. You need to work hard, but don’t try to go overboard and be yourself. Coming from them, especially Dylan, who is also a JUCO guy, that’s a big bro moment.”
The ASU prospect admitted that he was “star struck” seeing former NFL head coaches such as Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis on the Arizona State staff and certainly respects the credibility that they bring to the table.
“Meeting the whole coaching staff and seeing their personalities really blew me away,” McElroy remarked. “I grew up watching coach Herm and ‘You play to win the game’ is a quote you’ll never forget. It’s kind of crazy meeting in person the guys that I’ve seen on TV every Sunday. If I committed to Arizona State, it would be because of the personalities of the coaches and because coach Rod, I know will put me in the best position in his scheme. I know I will be in a learning and teaching environment.
“I know that he (Robert Rodriguez) is the type of coach who wants to see everybody on the team succeed, not just me. In December, he took the time to look at my film, when back then, I didn’t think my film was all that. But I was looking at it from my perspective. Seeing him gravitate toward me, stick by me in this process, shows me that he actually wants me to progress into someone who will be part of that team and part of that community.”
McElroy, who prepped at Pasadena (Calif.) John Muir High School, and only played basketball in his four years there, wasn’t content with the level of offers he received during his senior year. The decision to pursue the junior college route wasn’t only to land better four-year school opportunities but also to replace the hard court with the gridiron.
“I thought football was gonna click for me at first,” McElroy said, “but it didn’t and just progressed over time. Then when COVID hit, I took the time out of my days, and went to my high school, watch videos, and learned how to play the game. I had some knowledge from playing flag football when I was younger, but it obviously wasn’t much. I saw all the different techniques I should be doing, how to use my hands, use my hips, and how to be more detailed about everything. All that helped because on my film, you can see that I stay low a lot and keep my flexibility.”
UNLV is the only other school the lineman has visited aside from ASU, and that tandem of colleges along with UAB represent McElroy’s most serious suitors. The lineman, who has two years of eligibility plus a redshirt year, said that he doesn’t have any future visits set up but is talking to other schools. Nonetheless, he feels as if one program is sticking out above the rest ahead of his summer decision once he finishes up his summer session classes.
“Honestly, Arizona State is leading right now,” McElroy noted, “because they have been recruiting me since December. When I commit to a school, I would say the leadership coming from the team and coaches will be huge. Obviously, you want to have somebody that has your back. I want to go to a team that has a good vibe and feels like a brotherhood.
“I love the underdog mentality in a team, and I’m not saying that ASU is that type of team. But working to get over that hump always gives you something to fight for. I want to go to a school that I will thrive in not only with football but also with the community and the fan base.”
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today here and get all the latest Sun Devil news!
